WVDNR News: MWV and WVDNR Announce Voluntary Catch-and-Release Program on the MWV Tro

[OldBear]

For Immediate Release
June 15, 2010

Contact
Roger L. Sherman Steve Brown
MWV Media Relations WV Division of Natural Resources
304.392.1605 304.637.0245

MWV and WVDNR Announce Voluntary Catch-and-Release Program on the MWV Trout Adventure Streams​

RUPERT, WV (June 15, 2010) – MeadWestvaco Corporation (MWV) and the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) announced today the implementation of voluntary catch-and-release for native brook trout on Laurel Creek above Jettsville. The waters involved are part of the first phase of MWV Trout Adventure -- a network of natural watercourses encompassing 146,000 acres of MWV-owned forestland in Greenbrier, Nicholas and Fayette Counties.

MWV and WVDNR have partnered to create MWV Trout Adventure which is expected to become one of the finest trout fisheries in the Appalachians. With essential cooperation from the agency, MWV biologists and foresters are actively working to enhance native brook trout habitat and populations, water quality and physical stream conditions within the landscape-scale program. Ultimately, the MWV Trout Adventure program will involve over 538 miles of streams in the area.

Leadership from the WVDNR and MWV gathered to review progress and bring attention to the installation of permanent informational signs near the Laurel Creek Bridge, near Jettsville, WV. Signs at several access points identify the project area and request public cooperation in the catch-and-release initiative.

On hand for the announcement from WVDNR were Frank Jezioro, Agency director, as well as Mike Shingleton, assistant chief of Coldwater Fisheries for WVDNR, Steve Brown, acid stream restoration supervisor, and resource specialist John Rebinski.

MWV Forestry Division president Gene Hundley, and director of Forest Operations Trenor Hypes were joined by Sam Conly, manager of MWV forest lands in WV, and Aaron Plaugher, MWV Forester in charge of the Trout Adventure program.

“I can’t say enough about MeadWestvaco’s Trout Adventure program and their cooperative commitment to sustaining native brook trout populations here in West Virginia,” said Jezioro. “This is a terrific example of a private/public partnership that will enhance the fishing opportunities here today and for future generations of our anglers.”

According to Hundley, “MWV Trout Adventure is an example of our commitment to the overall stewardship of the lands we manage. We recognize that the valuable resources entrusted to our care include not only our highly productive timber and energy assets but also embrace a host of ecosystem services such as wildlife, fisheries, water quality and outdoor recreation that benefit the people who visit here and the environment itself.”

MWV began Trout Adventure with the construction of liming stations to improve stream pH and with strategic placement of native materials in stream courses to create pools to promote spawning and provide low water refuges. With the first phases of the MWV Trout Adventure program now well underway, the fishing public is being requested to honor the voluntary catch-and-release of native brook trout in Laurel Creek.

According to the DNR, survival of released trout can be greatly enhanced by following simple handling and release procedures:
1.Time is important. Play and release the fish as quickly as possible to reduce unnecessary stress.
2.Keep the fish in the water as much as possible and use a pair of forceps or needle-nosed pliers to remove the hook.
3.Handle the fish with bare, wet hands. Do not squeeze the fish, put your fingers in the eyes or gills, or cause scale loss.
4.When releasing the fish, hold it gently in the water until the fish is ready to swim off on its own.

“Coupled with limestone sand treatment, establishing catch-and-release on brook trout streams will help build populations of these native fish and create a first class trout fishing experience for West Virginia sportsmen right here in our backyard,” Plaugher said. “We very much appreciate the support of the Division of Natural Resources in taking this important step for MWV Trout Adventure.”

MWV is asking the public to voluntarily honor the catch-and-release request since MWV Trout Adventure streams are not officially designated as catch-and-release streams under West Virginia fishing regulations.

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[FONT=Arial,Bold]About MWV[/FONT]
MeadWestvaco Corporation (NYSE: MWV), provides packaging solutions to many of the world’s most-admired brands in the healthcare, beauty and personal care, food, beverage, media and entertainment, home and garden, tobacco, and commercial print industries. The company has been committed to scientifically managing and sustaining its land and streams for decades and sustainably manages its land holdings to support operations, and to provide for conservation, recreation and development opportunities. With 20,000 employees worldwide, MWV operates in 30 countries and serves customers in more than 100 nations. MWV manages all of its forestlands in accordance with internationally recognized forest certification standards, and has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for the sixth consecutive year. For more information, please visit www.mwv.com.

[FONT=Arial,Bold]About WVDNR Fish Management[/FONT]
The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources fisheries management programs are designed to provide a variety of fishing opportunities and experiences for anglers. The WVDNR endeavors to develop opportunities that range from native brook trout creeks to musky streams and large river catfish and from small impoundment bluegill to reservoir bass and walleye. These programs consist of efforts focused on coldwater and warmwater species management and their habitats. Research, stocking, public access development, regulations, and outreach combined with habitat protection, improvement, and restoration form the foundation of the state's management of the state's fishery resources. For more information, please visit www.wvdnr.gov.

 

[Dr. Gonzo]

This sounds like an amazing project, almost too good to be true. Is there some kind of ulterior motive here for the company? Are they planning to close the area to the public and charge an entrance fee? I'm not saying they shouldn't do that but I guess the cynic in me wonders why a corporation is spending so much of its shareholders' $ with no investment value returned to the company. Regardless, environmental stewardship like this coupled with the goal of protecting fragile and disappearing Brookies sounds like a great idea!

 

[Future Fanatic]

This sounds like an amazing project, almost too good to be true. Is there some kind of ulterior motive here for the company?

Yeah, there's a cynical side of me that wonders if this is some sort of preemptive strike.

146,000 acres in WV sitting on the Marcellus shale (did you note the quote).

“MWV Trout Adventure is an example of our commitment to the overall stewardship of the lands we manage. We recognize that the valuable resources entrusted to our care include not only our highly productive timber and energy assets but also embrace a host of ecosystem services such as wildlife, fisheries, water quality and outdoor recreation that benefit the people who visit here and the environment itself.”

If they do this wonderful work for the environment and sportsmen upfront, maybe their "payoff" is realized when there are less demonstrators when they bring in the chainsaws or sign the leases and start pumping gas.

I say who cares, it sounds like a great contribution to the environment. People should go out tomorrow and buy a Mead product. Btw, Mead is one of the largest employers in my area.

 

[Ryan R]

This sounds like an amazing project, almost too good to be true. Is there some kind of ulterior motive here for the company? Are they planning to close the area to the public and charge an entrance fee? I'm not saying they shouldn't do that but I guess the cynic in me wonders why a corporation is spending so much of its shareholders' $ with no investment value returned to the company. Regardless, environmental stewardship like this coupled with the goal of protecting fragile and disappearing Brookies sounds like a great idea!

I don't see how its much different from the paper company's up around the Adirondacks region (another public/private partnership) opening up some of their large holdings to public recreation, or down south in Georgia, etc. Perhaps I missed it, but I didn't see where they were spending so much of their shareholders money? For sure they are spending some money but I think its much less than the copious amounts made for the shareholders. A number of these companies with large timber holdings around the country employ foresters and biologists and do try to be stewards of the land and seem to be partnering more and more with state agencies to improve certain wildlife habitat on their lands. And FF is correct, there is a definite return on investment for them in the form of better PR and overall community support for their business side of things.

 

[Dr. Gonzo]

Of course there are benefits (PR etc) to the corporate image and I support the idea completely. I'm just being cynical because the executives have a fiduciary duty to the shareholders to maximize their returns. This means that expenses that do not benefit the shareholders, and take away from dividends, are limited by this duty and that shareholders can actually bring lawsuits against the executives for spending money in violation of the duty. I'm not saying that this is the kind of thing people sue over but it's rare that a company would spend money without some tangible benefit to the shareholders. Maybe they have a lot of fly fishermen on their board of directors

While I applaud what seems like a nice effort to safeguard the environment and restore valuable brookie habitat, there's a part of me that's waiting for the other shoe to drop.

There are a few examples of responsible corporations that value environmental stewardship, Interface Carpet comes to mind as the prime example. Others spend billions on PR to make themselves look like responsible stewards in the press while trying to avoid responsibility for their past environmental transgressions (example: GE).

Anywho, seems like a great idea let's hope it works out well!

 

[Ryan R]

Of course there are benefits (PR etc) to the corporate image and I support the idea completely. I'm just being cynical because the executives have a fiduciary duty to the shareholders to maximize their returns. This means that expenses that do not benefit the shareholders are limited and by this duty and that shareholders can actually bring lawsuits against the executives for spending money in violation of the duty.

While I applaud what seems like a nice effort to safeguard the environment and restore valuable brookie habitat, there's a part of me that's waiting for the other shoe to drop.

There are a few examples of responsible corporations that value environmental stewardship, Interface Carpet comes to mind as the prime example. Others spend billions on PR to make themselves look like responsible stewards in the press while trying to avoid responsibility for their past environmental transgressions (example: GE).

Anywho, seems like a great idea let's hope it works out well!

All of these companies have paid foresters and biologists on staff. They already do much of this type of work and many of them partner with state agency biologists and foresters on projects, its just that they don't always make a big splash in the press. If you're a company thatcrelies on large timber holdings, being stweards of the land is a direct benefit to shareholders and is fulfilling there fiduciary duty. A healthy ecosystem helps maintain a healthy forest. The "materials" used to create pools or stabilize banks, etc. is already on the land. The amount of shareholder profits spent on these things is pretty much non-existent: salaried foresters and biologists that do some of this work as part of their normal duties, most materials for work already on hand, existing partnerships with state agencies that help defray material and labor costs. What is new is that in recent years many of these companies & the agencies are more actively and openly advertising these types of projects and partnerships to the public, and in this case opening up the holdings to to the public for troutfishing.

 

[Pete]

There's more than just PR in it for the paper companies.

When I was working in the printing industry....

About one a year a paper supplier, with holdings in Canada, would invite our executives to go Atlantic Salmon fishing. They had a lodge, on some prime water, and supplied tackle and guides. Good relations with the decision makers among your customers, has a direct effect on the bottom line....
It wouldn't be effective, it they had "raped" the place to the extent that the river didn't support Salmon reproduction.

When our President learned that I actually knew how to fly cast, he said he'd try to get me in on one of these trips..... but it never happened.